Lubricating mechanism.



No. 722,209. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.v N. A. CHRISTENSEN.

LUBRIGATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1901. N0 MODEL. a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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- No 722,209. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903- N. :A. CHRISTENSEN.

LUBRIGATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1901.

N0 MODEL 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 722,209. PATENTED MAR. 10', 1903.

N.' A. CHRISTENSEN.

LUBRIGATING MEUHANISM.

PPLIOATION FILED MAY 8. 1901.

No. 722,209. 7 PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903. N. A. CHRISTENSEN.

LUBRICATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 901.

N0 MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 my /7 WWII III FFICE.

NIELS ANTON CHRISTENSEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

LUBRICATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 722,209, dated March 10, 1903.

Application filed May 8, 1901. Serial No. 59,256. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it 'nuty concern:

Be it known that I, NIELS ANTON CHRIS- TENSEN, a subject of the King of Denmark, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lubricating mechanism for machinery generally, and is herein shown for the sake of illustration and description as embodied in an air-compressor.

The object of my invention is to provide novel, simple, and efficient means for automatically'lubricatin g various beariu gs of machines, particularly the main crank shaft bearings, gearing, wrist-pin, and piston and cylinder, or any one of them, when my invention is embodied in an air-compressor.

The various advantages obtained by the use of my invention will be fully and clearly apparent from the description herein given.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of my compressor and motor foroperating the same; Fig. 2, a section on line A B of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan of the connecting-rod; Fig. 4, a section of the connecting-rod on line C D of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a plan of the crank-shaft chamber with the top cover removed; Fig. 6 an enlarged section of the piston taken on line E F of Fig. 2; Fig. 7, a section on line G H of Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a section on line I J of Fig. 2; Fig. 9, an enlarged section on line K L of Fig. 2; and Figs. 10 and 11, views similar to Figs. 2 and 5, but illustrating a modification.

For the purpose of fully explaining the nature of my invention and illustrating one exemplification or embodiment thereof in a complete operative machine I have chosen to illustrate and describe it in connection with and embodied in a double-acting air-compressor which obviously may be attached to or operated by either an electric motor, a steam-engine, a gas-engine, or a belt. It will be understood, further, that with proper mechanical changes my invention is applicable to other machines with the same results as accomplished when used in connection with an air-compressor, as herein illustrated and described. Consequently I contemplate using my invention wherever applicable.

The preferred form and arrangement of my machine is illustrated in the drawings, and, as shown, the motor 1 is attached to and forms part of an air-compressor proper, inasmuch as the motor is mounted upon the same base 2 as the compressor. The compressor portion of the apparatus or machine comprises the crank-chamber 3, which is preferably completely inclosed, the cylinder 4:, and the intermediate casing 5, all being preferably mounted upon and supported by the same base. Vithin the crank-chamber are arranged the main crank-shaft bearings 6, of suitable construction for the crank-shaft 7, which rotates within such chamber. By extending one end of the shaft through the chamber provision can be made for the flywheel 8, which may be used, if desired. \Vhen the compressor is run by an electric motor, the fly-wheel may be dispensed with, but will probably be found necessary when run by a steam-engine, gas-engine, or belt. On the other end of the shaft is secured a gear 9, arranged within the crank-chamber and meshing with a pinion 10 on the end of the armature-shaft 11, mounted in suitable bearings or journals 12.

The top of the crank-chamber is closed by a removable cover 13, which may have several small doors 14, if desired, for inspecting the working parts therewithin. A cover 15 is arranged over the armature-pinion and secured to the top of the crank-chamber, so that the armature can be examined or removed without disturbing the other parts of the machine.

The oiling arrangement for the bearings of the crank-shaft forms one feature of my present invention and comprises the following construction and operation of parts: The main crankshaft chamber has at the bottom an oil-space 16, into which the crank-shaft and connecting-rod l7 dip at each revolution, the direction of revolution being shown by the arrows in Fig. 2. The effect of this rotation is to carry oil upward and around, which will strike the cover of the compressor-case or crankshaft chamber and fill up the cavity or oil-receptacle 18, or some of the oil at least may be thrown directly into such cavity. This cavity may be formed in any suitable way, and the present preferable wayis shown herein consisting of an oil-pan 19, secured to the under side of the top portion of the compressor and extending in a plane parallel to the crank-shaft. This oil pan or receptacle thus forms a supply or head of oil and is constantly and automatically filled or supplied with oil, which is kept in constant circulation while the compressor is running, as hereinafter described.

The oil pan or receptacle is adapted to be connected with the main crank-shaft bearing, and, as a suitable arrangement to this end, the pan is provided with two outlet-holes 20, connected by piping 21 with these bearings, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. The crank-shaft bearings are thus amply supplied or flooded with oil, which is again automatically returned to the oil pan or receptacle by the revolution of the crank, as hereinbefore stated.

The oil-pan has a third opening 22, arranged centrally of the crank and in the plane of movement of the connecting-rod 17. For the purpose of my invention this rod is formed, preferably, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, being hollowed out on its top to form a trough 23, with cross strengthening-bars 24. The crank end of the connecting-rod has a longitudinal hole 25 passing through the end thereof and through the crank-bearing to the crank. (See Fig. 2.) The wrist-pin end of the connecting-rod has one or more holes 26, adapted to register at certain times with holes 27 in the wrist-pin 28. (See Figs. 2 and 9.) The holes 27 communicate with the hole or passage 29, extending through the wrist-pin, as shown in Fig. 9, and in turn communicating with a hole or passage 30 in the crosshead 31, which reciprocates between slides in the intermediate casing 5, Fig. 2. The piston-rod 31 is secured to the cross-head in the well-known man ner and has a central oil hole or passage 32 and a cross-passage 33 terminating in the outer face of the piston and registering with the passage 30 in the crosshead. This passage 32 extends the length of the piston and communicates with a radial hole or passage 34 in the piston 35. At certain positions of the partsthat is, when the passages 26 and 27 communicate with each other, as hereinafter describeda direct connection is established between the trough in the reciprocating rod and the interior walls of the cylinder and at all times between this trough and the wrist-pin.

The trough receives a constant or practically constant supply of oil from the oil pan or receptacle, inasmuch as the outlet-hole 22 in the oil-pan necessarily discharges directly into such trough. The oil standing in the trough will find its way to the crank-bearing through the hole 25, which is always open, thereby aflording an ample and constant supply of oil to such bearing. The holes 26 at the other end of the connecting-rod are so arranged that when such rod is in a certain position near dead-center on'the upstroke of the compressor they will be closed and remain closed until the crank-pin and connectingrod have traveled the other half of the circle, bringing the piston near the back head deadcenter, in which position the holes in the connecting-rod will begin to open and register with corresponding holes in the wrist-pin, as seen in Fig. 9, where these holes or passages are shown as registering. By the forward motion of the connecting-rod and piston part of the oil standing in the connecting-rod will be forced by momentum through the passage 29 in the wrist-pin, through the passage 30 in the cross-head, through passages 33 and 32 in the piston-rod, and thence through the radial hole 34 in the piston-head, thus delivering a small quantity of oil against the surface of the cylinder at a point between the packing-rings, from whence the oil will gradually work along the surface of the piston and"1ubricate the entire circumference of the cylinder and piston. If the supply of oil thus introduced to the compressing-cylinder is too plentiful, a restricted opening may be arranged in any obvious and suitable manner at any point between the ingress of the oil at the connecting-rod and the egress of the same at the piston.

It will thus be seen that the entire machine may be lubricated from the supply of oil contained in the bottom of the crank-shaft chamber. Inasmuch as the gear 9 operates in the same chamber with the crank-shaft and is also partly submerged in oil, the oil is carried up by the gear and lubricates the contact-surfaces between the gear and pinion teeth. The oil may also partly pass into the armature-bearing at the pinion end, thereby replenishing the oil which may be needed for lubricating the armature-bearing at the pinion end from time to time. The level of the oil in the crank-shaft chamber is preferably not so high as to flood the lower part of the guides or slides of the cross-head, the idea being that by the general commotion caused by the rotation of the crank-shaft all of the surfaces will receive a plentiful supply of oil even though there may not be more oil than enough to cover the moving crank-shaft and connecting-rod for, say, two inches.

While the commotion caused by the crank dipping into the oil-well may produce a sufficient showering of oil onto the parts working in the intermediate chamber or slideframe 20, yet, if desired, a special means may be provided for lubricating such parts by oil conducted from the oil-pan. As herein shown, such means comprises an oil-pipe 36, tapped into the slide-frame at a point so far back that the oil will be delivered not only against the top shoe 37 of the cross-head, but also on the piston-rod and lower slide whenever the oil comes through the pipe when said shoe has moved to a position to expose or uncover the aperture or pipe end. The pipe, which may or may not be valve-controlled, enters at its other end into the oil-pan, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. While this above-described IXO precaution is not essential, yet its use insures perfect lubrication of both the pistonrod and the cross-head shoes. v

The general purpose of Figs. 10 and 11 of the drawings is to show that my invention is applicable to a machine whose crank-shaft has a clockwise movement instead of an anticlockwise movement, as shown in Fig. 2, looking at the machine as indicated in said figure. In these Figs. 10 and 11 the crankshaft rotates in the direction illustrated by the arrows, and owing to this change in direction of rotation the oil-pan 38 is changed in position from the left-hand side of the crank-chamber to the righthand side, Figs. 10 and 11that is, to the right-hand side of the center line of the crank-shaft. The trough of the connecting-rod does not reach as far back as the oil-pan, Fig. 11, and consequently suitable provision must be made for conducting oil from the pan to a point above the trough at all times or at least sufficiently long to provide the proper amount of oil to accomplish the results in view. To this end I use an oil-pipe 39, leading from the outlet-port and around out of the path of travel of the crank and finally terminating over the trough of the connecting-rod, as will be fully understood from an inspection of Figs. 10 and 11. Of course this pipe is inclined or pitched sufficiently for a proper flow of the oil. The oil-pipes 41 are similar to the pipes 21 and supply the main crankshaft bearings with oil.

My lubricating mechanism is entirely automatic and the bearings are self-oiled during the operation of the machinery. The bearings are kept well supplied or flooded with a comparatively small quantity of oil in the base of the compressor, and this oil is made to circulate practically continuously. It is to be understood, however, that the different features of my invention are not dependent upon each other, but that they may be separately employed in a machine.

As hereinbefore referred to, the machine herein shown and described is here selected as best illustrating my invention, and consequentlymyinventionisnotlimited toanyspecial features thereof not directly concerned, inasmuch as various mechanical changes might be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and claims.

I do not herein claim the special features and details of construction of the machine herein shown and described, but reserve the same as the subject-matter of an application to be filed by me.

I claim- 1. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination with a machine, of an inclosing casing having an oil-supply into which dipsa part of the machine moving in such casing, main bearings entirely inclosed by said casing, an oil-receptacle into which the oil is thrown by such moving part, and means located within the casing for conducting oil from such receptacle to said inclosed bearings.

2. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a machine with a chamber or casing by which such lubricating mechanism is entirely inclosed, said casing containing oil at the bottom into which oil a moving part of the machine dips, the main bearings inclosed by said casing, an oil-receptacle located near the top of the chamber and receiving oil thrown from such moving part, and means also entirely inclosed by the said casing for conducting oil from such receptacle to a bearing on the machine.

3. In lubricating mechanism, the combination of a shaft having a crank, main bearings for said shaft, a casing within which said crank-shaft and bearings are inclosed and providing an oil-well at its lower portion, an oil pan or receptacle arranged at the upper part of the casing, oil-pipes located within the casing and extending from the oil-pan to the said bearings to supply them with oil, said crank dipping into said oil-well at each revolution and adapted to throw oil into such pan, a gear arranged within the casing on said crank-shaft and dipping in the oil-well, and a pinion meshing with the gear and lubricated thereby, said pinion being also arranged within the casing. I

4. In lubricating mechanism, the combination with a machine having a chamber or casing within which a crank'shaft operates and has its bearings and having oil at the bottom, into which the crank thereof dips at each revolution, crank-shaft bearings entirely inclosed by said casing, an oil pan or receptacle located above the axis of the crank-shaft and adapted to receive oil thrown from the crankshaft and conducting pipes or passages arranged within said casing and leading from such pan or receptacle to the said bearings.

5. In lubricating mechanism, the combination with a machine having a chamber or casing provided with a top opening having a flange and in which casing a crank-shaft operates and having an oil-space 16 therein into which the crank thereof dips at each revolution, crank-shaft bearings arranged within said casing, an oil pan or receptacle located substantially at the top of the casing and above the axis of the crank-shaft and secured to said flange, such pan having bottom outlet-holes 20 near either end and conducting-pipes 21 also inclosed by said casing and leading from said holes respectively and to said bearings, whereby oil is supplied to the bearings from the oil pan or receptacle and returned thereto automatically by the movements of the crank-shaft.

6. In lubricating mechanism for machines, a connecting-rod having a longitudinal oiltrough 23 provided with strengthening crossbars 2 1, and also having an oil-passage leading from such trough to abearing of the rod, and means for supplying the trough with oil.

7. In lubricatingmechanism for machines,

a connecting rod having a longitudinal oiltrough or open-top receptacle with an oil-supply passage leading from such trough.

8. In lubricating mechanism for machines, a connecting-rod havinga longitudinal oiltrough or open-top receptacle with an oil-supply passage leading from each end of such trough.

9. In lubricating mechanism for machines, a connecting-rod connected to driving mechanism, and having a supply of oil, and also having an oil passage communicating between such supply and a bearing of such rod, in combination with means for feeding oil to said supply when the machine is running.

10. In lubricating mechanism for machines, a connecting-rod having a longitudinal oiltrough with an oil-supply passage leading therefrom, in combination with means for feeding oil to said trough when the machine is running.

11. In lubricating mechanism for machines, a connecting-rod having a longitudinal oiltrough or open-top receptacle with oil-supply passages leading from each end ofsuch trough, and means for discharging or feeding oil into said trough when the machine is running.

12. In lubricating mechanism for machines, a connecting-rod operating a cross-head and having a longitudinal oil trough open substantially its entire length and provided with an oil-passage leading through one end of the trough for supplying oil to the wrist-pin.

13. In lubricating mechanism for machines the combination of a connecting-rod operating a cross-head and having a longitudinal oil-trough adapted to receive oil through its open top and provided with an oil-passage leading throughthe cross-head end of the rod, a wrist-pin connecting the rod and crosshead and having a hole or passage adapted to register with said oil-passage once during each full or complete movement of the connecting-rod.

14. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a connecting-rod, a crosshead, a piston-rod, a piston-head, having a radial oil-passage extending to the cylinderwall, an oil-supply carried by the connecting- 'rod, and means of communication between such supply and said radial passage.

15. Inlubricating mechanism for-machines, the combination of a connecting-rod, a crosshead, a piston-rod, a piston-head, having a radial oil-passage extending to the cylinderwall, an oil-supply carried by the connectingrod, means of communication between such supply and said radial passage, and means for feeding oil to said supply when the machine is running.

16. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a connecting-rod, a crosshead, a piston-rod, a piston-head and its cylinder, an oil-supply on such rod and an oilpassage leading from such supply through the cross-head, piston-rod and piston-head to the cylinder.

17. Inlubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a connecting-rod, a crosshead, a piston-rod, a piston-head, an oil-supply on such rod, an oil-passage leading from such supply. through the cross-head, pistonrod and piston-head to the cylinder and means for interrupting such passage except at the time when momentum will force the oil therethrough.

18. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a connecting-rod carrying an oil-supply, a piston and. its cylinder, said rod operatively connected to the piston, and an oil-passage between said supply and piston-cylinder for supplying oil by the force of momentum.

l9. Inlubricating mechanismformachines, the combination of a chamber in which a crank-shaft or the like operates and having an oil-well in which the crank dips, an oilpan located above the crank-shaft and receiving oil splashed by the movements of the crank, a slide-frame, a cross-head operating therein, a connecting-rod between the crosshead and the crank-shaft, and having a longitudinal oil-trough provided with oil-supply passages to the hearings on the ends of the connecting-rod, and means for conducting oil from such pan to the slide-frame and to said trough.

20. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a chamber in which a crank-shaft or the like operates and having an oil-well in which the crank dips, an oilpan located above the crank-shaft and receiving oil splashed by the movements of the crank, a slide-frame, a cross-head operating therein, a connecting-rod between the crosshead and the crank-shaft, and a longitudinal oil-trough provided with oil-supply passages to the bearings on the ends of the connectingrod,'an oil-pipe from the oil-pan to the slideframe and means for feeding oil to said trough.

21. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a chamber in which a crank-shaft or the like ope rates and having an oil-well in which the crank dips, an oil-pan located above the crank-shaft and receiving oil splashed by the movements of the crank,

a slide-frame, a cross-head operating therein,

in, and an oil-pipe communicating with the oil-pan and entering the slide-frame at such a point therein as to be alternately closed and opened by the cross-head.

23. Inlubricatingmechanism formachines, the combination of a cylinder, a piston therein, and an oil-supply reciprocating with the piston, a connection between such supply and the cylinder, through which connection the oil is forced by momentum, and means for feeding oil to said supply when the machine is running.

24E. In lubricatingmechanism formachines, the combination, with a cylinder and its piston, of momentum oil-feed mechanism therefor and means for feeding oil to said oil-feed mechanism when the machine is running.

25. In lubricating mechanism for machines the combination of a cylinder, a piston therein having a radial hole, a piston-rod, a crosshead, a connecting-rod connected to the crosshead by a Wrist-pin, said rod having an oiltrough and an oil supply hole or passage through one end to the wrist-pin, such wrist pin being provided with a passage adapted to register with said oil-supply passage and the cross-head with a passage communicating with the wrist-pin passage and a passage 6X tending through the piston-rod and communicating at one end with said'radial hole in the piston and at the other end with the said cross-head passage.

26. In lubricating mechanism for machines the combination of a connecting-rod having a longitudinal trough, a case or chamber having an oil-supply into which such rod dips, an oil-receptacle into which oil is thrown from such rod, such receptacle discharging oil into such trough, such rod having an oil-passage from the trough to the machine-bearings.

27. Inlubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a connecting-rod having a longitudinal trough, a case or chamber in which such rod Works and having at its bottom an oil-supply into which such rod dips, an oil-receptacle arranged above such rod and adapted to receive oil upwardly thrown by centrifugal force, such receptacle having a bottom opening arranged in the same Vertical plane as the connecting-rod and discharging oil into said trough, said rod having oilsupply passages from such trough to machinebearings through which passages oil is forced by momentum.

28. In lubricating mechanism for machines,

the combination of a connecting-rod having a longitudinal trough, a case or chamber in which such rod works and having an oil-supply at the bottom, a crank-shaft mounted in hearings in said chamber and connected to said rod, said rod and crank dippinginto such oil-supply, an oil-receptacle arranged above the rod and receiving oil upwardly thrown by centrifugal force of the rod and crank, said receptacles having outlet-holes and oil-pipes leading therefrom to said bearings, and another outlet-hole discharging oil into said trough, said connecting-rod having oil-passages for supplying oil from the trough to the parts to which it is connected.

29. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination of a casing or chamber 3 having an oil-well 16 at the bottom, a crank-shaft 7 mounted in hearings in such chamber, a cross-head, a connecting-rod 17 connected at one end to the shaft and at the other end to the cross-head, said rod having a trough 23 with a passage 25 running to the crank-bearing and another passage 26 to the wrist-pin of the cross-head, the connecting-rod being adapted to dip in such oil-well, an oil-pan 19 located in the upper part of such chamber 3 and having two outlet-holes 20 and a middle hole 22, and pipes 21 connecting between said outlets 20 and said crank-shaft bearings, said hole 22 being arranged directly above the trough 23 and to discharge oil therein, the oil in the well being taken up and thrown by centrifugal force into said oil-pan and delivered to said bearings and also to the bearings of the connecting-rod.

30. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination with amachine, ofan inclosing casing or chamber having an oil-supply into which dips a part of the machine moving in such casing, and main bearings inclosed by said casing, and. within the zone of oil commotion.

31. In lubricating mechanism for machines, the combination with a crank chamber or casin g having an oil supply or Well, a crank-shaft working in said casing and adapted to dip with its crank into such oil-well and splash the oil, main crank-shaft bearings inclosed by said casing and within the zone of oil commotion.

NIELS ANTON CHRISTENSEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN DADMUN, A. BEVERIDGE. 

